Construing CSL Writing as Meaning-Making: A Genre-Based Approach

Abstract

Although a genre approach to writing instruction has emerged as the most widely advocated pedagogy in second language (L2) writing instruction, little empirical research has examined its effects on Chinese as a Second Language (CSL) writing. The purpose of this study is thus to address this research gap by examining the effects of a Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) approach to genre instruction on the textual quality of CSL writing. This approach is taken as the instructional framework due to its emphasis on explicit awareness of language as learning to write. This pedagogical approach was implemented in two CSL courses at tertiary level and the primary data consist of 32 essays and 16 students’ responses to an evaluation questionnaire on this pedagogical approach. The quantitative analysis shows that writers of pre-intermediate level made statistically significant progress in terms of content, organization, word choice and grammar, as evident in the differences between the scores in the pre- and post-test essays. Most participants indicated positive response to the evaluation questionnaire with regard to the effectiveness of this approach in enhancing their Chinese writing competence. The findings suggest that instruction based on this approach may hold great potential for enhancing students’ genre awareness and subsequent writing quality.